


Spin Me Right Round

by Rumaan



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Fluff, Humour, M/M, Multiple Pairings, Romance, Speed dating au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-29
Updated: 2016-06-05
Packaged: 2018-07-10 22:55:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7011610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rumaan/pseuds/Rumaan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Octavia starts a speed dating night at the Trikru Martial Arts Centre. It's a good place for her friends to find love. Interconnecting ficlets that feature a different ship each chapter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Bellarke

**Author's Note:**

> This is a 10 chapter series of ficlets. Each chapter features a different pairing. The pairings are listed above in chapter order and each chapter will be named after the couple featured so if you don't like that particular pairing you don't have to read it!
> 
> Also, it's really obvious I know nothing about speed dating so just go with it ;)

Bellamy still wasn’t sure just how Octavia talked Indra into the idea that the martial arts centre should supplement its income by hosting a bi-monthly speed dating night. He didn’t even realise speed dating was still a thing. He thought everyone did online dating now instead. Then again, it could be one of those bring back retro things that he never quite understood or even kept up with. He just knew something was ‘in’ again when someone would compliment him on an old t-shirt or something and he’d realise it was popular once more.

However, he remained uncertain about just what Octavia was hoping to achieve with her new speed dating event. Was the prospect of Indra glowering from the corner or the frankly terrifying Anya dj-ing smooth tunes meant to inspire romantic feelings in people?

Nonetheless, he was the determined to support her endeavours like the good big brother he was, which was why he’d signed up for her first event.

He regretted this decision five minutes later when the first person to drop into the seat opposite him was Clarke. He’d been pining over her hopelessly for months before she’d gone halfway across the country just over a year ago for an internship. During her absence, he’d done his best to move on. Briefly dating Gina before they split up amicably because it wasn’t working. He’d thought he’d managed to put his crush behind him, but seeing her back, smiling brightly at him as if they’d just seen each other yesterday made him swallow hard.

“So Octavia roped you into this too?” she asked, looking around with an amused expression on his face.

“I volunteered. O let me pretend that it was an option for me not to attend.”

Clarke laughed at that and he any pretence that he had ever moved on dissipated. He had missed the easy camaraderie between them and the realisation that he just had to look at Clarke and they were on the same page.

“So anyone here catch your eye?” she asked leaning across the table towards him.

Bellamy steadfastly ignored Clarke’s perfect cleavage that he could see in the periphery of his gaze, instead pretending to look around. Before he’d seen Clarke, he’d vaguely being checking out a tall leggy brunette who looked as if she could kill him with one hand tied behind her back and he’d been hoping she would come and seek him out, but now he couldn’t muster up any enthusiasm. Not with Clarke sitting opposite him, pointing out hot girls as if she was going to wingman him.

“You’re not taking this opportunity to meet someone?” he asked.

He knew she’d been in a pretty serious relationship while she’d been away with a scary looking woman with intense eyeshadow but that it’d ended a month or so before she’d returned home. It was more than possible that she wasn’t ready to move on yet.

“Oh, I’m keeping my options open,” she said, giving him a look from under her lashes that he couldn’t quite decipher.

However, Octavia called time before he could ask her what she meant. She left him with a breezy wave and sat down opposite a hot blonde with sharp features.

Bellamy tried to feign interest in those who came over to chat to him, but his eyes were constantly tracking Clarke around the room and it seemed that she was doing the same. Their eyes meeting more than could be coincidental and exchanging small smiles.

When Octavia declared a free-for-all, he was finally released from the table that his draw had stuck him at all evening. He found his way over to Clarke immediately and it appeared she had been waiting for him, his favourite beer in her hand.

“I’m not sure if you ever knew this but I had a massive thing for you before I left,” she said conversationally as if she was just making small talk and not turning his life upside down.

Bellamy choked on his beer. “Really?”

“Yeah, Raven used to tease me horribly about it. Said that I should make a move but I was never sure if you’d go for it.”

“I’d have gone for it,” he said still shocked at her revelation.

Her face dropped for a moment and he realised what he’d said.

“I mean, I’d go for it. I’d still go for it,” he said eagerly. He then rubbed his hand over his face. “God, sorry. It’s just I’m crazy about you and have been for ages. I thought I’d gotten over before you turned up tonight and then you sat down opposite me and I realised that yeah, no, I wasn’t.”

Clarke smiled up at him then, all fond tenderness, and he couldn’t help but slide his free arm around her, tugging her into his side where she fit as if she was made to be there.

“Want to get out of here?” she asked. “Or will Octavia kill us for ducking out before it’s all finished?”

“I’m pretty sure O would be fine if we left now.”

“Judging by the massive smile on her face I think you’re right.”

He looked behind him and saw Octavia beaming at him. “She’s never going to forget this, is she?”

“Nope. We’ve literally just validated this entire evening for her.”

\------------

“There you go, Indra,” Octavia said smugly. “One couple as per your stipulation.”

Indra frowned as Bellamy and Clarke walked out of the door together, his arm slung around her waist.

“I’m not sure it counts if you used this entire evening just to set up your brother with one of your friends.”

“A deal’s a deal,” Octavia replied. “You said if we get one couple together then we could host this event again.”

Indra grumbled something under her breath, but Lincoln, sweating from grabbing more cases of beer up from the cellar, said, “So far we’ve made enough money that if we held this event for a few more months, we could refurbish the main studio.”

Octavia leaned up and gave him a quick kiss for having her back. 

“See! And we’ve raised money. So we can do this again in a couple of weeks, right?”

Indra visibly sighed in disappointment and Octavia couldn’t help but grin even more brightly. “I guess so,” Indra said and Octavia fist bumped Lincoln.


	2. Wellya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fierce looking DJ is by far the most interesting person in the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As the chapter title indicates this is the Wells/Anya chapter!

“You do realise I am not taking part in the speed dating, right?” Anya barked at him severely.

Wells knew that but as he didn’t really even want to be here and as the fierce looking amateur DJ was the most interesting person in the room, he kept just circling back to her. Her less than impressed face was at odds with the romantic music she was piping over the speakers. He couldn’t help it; he was intrigued.

“Yeah, I know, but as I’m not really here for the speed dating I’d rather talk to you.”

She shot him an irritated look out the corner of her eye and then went back to scrolling through the iPod.

“You have a lot of romantic music on that thing.”

She scoffed but Wells saw the smile that she bit back. “It’s not mine. It’s Lincoln’s. He’s the softie here.”

That was true. Lincoln was physically intimidating but he was actually the nicest guy ever. It was Octavia who would kill you, which was part of the reason he was here. This event had to be a success because it was being run by Octavia, which meant big brother Bellamy would pull out all the stops to make sure that happened. He still wasn’t sure just how Clarke had come to be dating one half of the most melodramatic pair of siblings in the world, but it now impacted on his life.

“So why are you here if it’s not for the speed dating?” Anya asked in a reluctant tone almost as if by giving voice to the question she was somehow betraying her morals.

“My best friend is Clarke and I’m single so apparently any choice I had in turning up to this thing was revoked.”

Anya gave a small huff of amusement and then looked angry with herself for allowing such a thing to happen. Wells grinned in response. He wasn’t sure why the ferocious woman was so appealing but pulling not one but two smiles from her felt like a bigger success than getting into law school.

Leaning against the wall next to her, he asked, “So how come you’ve been roped into this?”

She scowled, but it was at odds with the delighted gleam in her eyes and her proud tone as she said, “Octavia is a force of nature. Indra tried to avoid allowing this to happen, but Octavia on a mission is impossible to halt. Being in charge of the music seemed like the least involved I could be.”

“Solid plan,” he remarked.

“It would’ve been but apparently _some people_ find it impossible to leave the DJ alone.”

Wells gave her a rueful smile at that. “If you really want me to go then I will.”

“No, you’re okay. Less annoying than most people,” she said dismissively.

Other people might have been disheartened by such faint praise, but Wells knew that she’d tell him to leave her alone in no uncertain terms if she didn’t want him there. Besides, she was much more appealing than braving the scary world of speed dating.

\--------------

“Back again?” Anya asked at the next event.

He was helping set up this time and was currently stocking the bar with clean glasses while Lincoln and Bellamy stocked the fridges.

“Yep!” he replied chirpily. “Apparently I’m not very good at saying no and Clarke takes shameless advantage of that.”

“He really is,” Clarke said, bumping his shoulder and keeping it quiet that he’d asked when the next event was and if they’d need any help beforehand. She’d already had her fun teasing him mercilessly for hanging out with Anya all night the morning after the last event.

Anya made a non-committal noise and went over to the corner where the iPod dock and speakers were waiting to be set up.

It wasn’t until Octavia rounded them all up at the end, clipboard in hand and started to talk them through the evening that Anya acknowledged his existence once more.

“So we have 30 people attending tonight. 31 with Wells,” Octavia said, skimming her finger down the front paper attached to her clipboard.

“Uh,” Wells interjected. “I’m not sure-”

“I had a couple of people ask if you would be here,” Octavia said blithely, not letting him finish.

“Wells is helping me out with the music,” Anya said, looking slightly surprised at her interruption.

“Oh! Okay,” Octavia said in a casual tone that was at odds with her excited face.

Anya must have noticed and said awkwardly, “He’s better at picking romantic songs than I am.”

Octavia’s smug grin didn’t diminish. “Of course he is. Bellamy, you’re helping Lincoln out behind the bar. We make more money when it’s you two serving.”

Wells zoned out for the rest of the team briefing. Anya was aggressively refusing to look in his direction, but he didn’t mind. She liked him enough to want him around to help her out.

\-----------

“So I brought my iPod with me this time,” he said cheerily, as he walked over to where Anya was already setting up.

“Yeah? Why?”

“We’ve got some regulars now and Lincoln’s song selection is starting to get repetitive. I have some different stuff on my iPod.”

He didn’t tell her that he’d spent a couple of nights making sure that it did. He had become a regular member of this weird speed dating event family now and Octavia always pencilled him in to help Anya. He was pretty sure that bets were being taken as to when he would actually make a move and he was also sure that bets were being taken if Anya would hurt him when he did. As far as he could tell, no one was betting on Anya making a move on him, which he thought was a big mistake.

“Good,” she said. “I’m getting tired of Lincoln’s Motown collection.”

Their fingers brushed as he handed the iPod over, but he suppressed the urge to curl his around hers. She was skittish in an endearing way for a woman so terrifying. He knew that she was interested, she would stand too close to him not to be, but he also knew that she was annoyed with herself at the same time. He wasn’t her usual type, more interested in being persuasive with words than with his fists. Her hesitancy didn’t annoy him. He was prepared to be as patient as necessary when it came to Anya.

His patience paid off when Anya volunteered them to clean up that night and close the centre down. Once the others had traipsed out, annoying with their speculative looks and whispers, Anya pushed him against the wall and pressed her lips against his with a fierce determination.

One of his hands cupped her hip while the other slid into her hair, his thumb stroking her jaw tenderly. The kiss slowed and deepened until they pulled away, panting a little.

“What is it about you, Wells Jaha, that allows you to get under my skin so much?” she asked, looking up at him with exasperated fondness. “I was determined that I would not do that.”

He grinned in delight and said, “I know you were, but I was just as equally determined you would.”

She gave him one of her rare smiles. “You’re slow and steady just like the tortoise.”

He threw his head back and laughed at that. “I’m not sure anyone has ever called me that before.”

“I like it,” she said unrepentant. “Fast and flashy never does anything for me.”

She pulled his head down once more and it was a long time before the centre was shuttered up.

\----------

At the next event, Wells and Anya turned up together, hand in hand. They’d kept their relationship a secret for the past two weeks, mainly so they could figure things out between themselves. The room erupted into whistles and jeers.

“Shut up!” Anya barked. “The next person to say anything will be physically maimed.”

Wells just grinned as Octavia put her hand out toward Indra and said, “That’s another couple. Now, pay up!”

Indra grumbled something under her breath about not betting against Octavia again, but handed over a twenty dollar bill.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can find me over at [tumblr](http://rumaan.tumblr.com/) if you so wish.


	3. Masper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jasper's never had much luck with girls so he really isn't expecting much when Octavia signs him up for her speed dating night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is Jasper x Maya - is that called Masper? Jaya? Help me out!

“I think you have an admirer,” Bellamy said with a smirk as he slid a bottle of beer across to Jasper.

“What? Where?”

“Don’t look but there’s a girl with black curly hair who has been watching you since you came up here.”

Of course Jasper couldn’t help but turn his head and seek her out, despite the groan from Bellamy and the muttered, “Super subtle, Jasper!”

A couple of people down the bar stood a pretty girl with a pink jumper on who was looking his way. She met his eyes, flushed a little and looked down and away.

“She was totally checking me out,” he said in some shock.

 “Duh!” Bellamy said with some amusement. “That is the point of O holding these nights.”

“Yeah, but she was checking _me_ out.”

“Why wouldn’t she? Don’t sell yourself short.”

Jasper bit back the response that no one checked him out when he was with Bellamy. Girls struggled to get past his friend’s good looks to even notice who was with him. It wasn’t something that irritated Jasper, it was just how it was. He was the geeky, not as attractive friend in his group and it was something that he was used to.

When Octavia had mentioned that she’d signed him up for her night as a birthday present, he hadn’t even had any expectations. He’d planned on coming down and hanging out with whatever friends were helping out that night. Octavia had apparently rigged it so that he wasn’t sitting at a table but free to go and wander around and chat with whatever pretty girl caught his attention, or so she’d said with a wink as he’d arrived earlier that evening.

However, he hadn’t even decided he was necessarily going to do that. Bellamy was working, which meant that Clarke was floating around somewhere and Wells was standing over at the sound station with his terrifying girlfriend. So there were plenty of people around for him to have a laugh with. He’d tried to convince Monty to come, but Monty had rolled his eyes and said that speed dating wasn’t really his thing.

It wasn’t really Jasper’s either.

He’d never really been particularly lucky when it came to dating. He’d gone through a phase in high school where he’d thought he was cooler than he actually was because the Blakes were an important part of his life and the Blakes were effortlessly cool. But he’d soon realised that he wasn’t cool by association and had come to terms with his social role – which was as a smartass geek.

Apparently, smartass geek was something that the pretty dark haired girl was into and he couldn’t help but seek her out. She was standing by the wall now, looking a little lost and unsure of herself. She gave off a quiet, slightly shy vibe, which he’d never been attracted to before (Octavia had been his high school crush and he wasn’t sure she knew what it meant to be shy or quiet), but it made him intrigued about this girl.

“Okay, I’m going to go and talk to her,” he announced to Bellamy.

“You’re not even going to wait for the evening to start?”

“The early bird catches the worm.”

Bellamy snorted in amusement, but passed him over a glass of white wine. “Here, give her that. She ordered one earlier.”

“Thanks, man,” he said and took a deep breath before handing over.

“Hey,” he said as he approached her, the wine stretched out towards her. “I saw that you didn’t have a glass anymore so I got you this.”

She eyed the glass a little suspiciously. “How did you know what I was drinking?”

He gave her a smile, leaned in a little and said, “Don’t tell anyone, but the barman is a friend.”

“Hmm,” she said still not taking the glass and narrowing her eyes a little at it.

“Oh, I’ve not tampered with it,” he said, suddenly realising why she might not be keen to take it. “Look, I’ll take a sip.”

She relaxed once he’d taken a small drop and took the glass. “You can never be too careful,” she explained.

“I totally get it. Sorry, I didn’t think about me being a random stranger giving you a drink and proclaiming the barman to be his friend might be suspicious. I also forget that Bellamy looks dangerous but only his friends know that he’s really a puppy.”

“Bellamy?”

“The barman. He’s like that meme. You know,” he said at her enquiring look. “Looks like he could kill you but is actually a cinnamon roll. Well, in Bellamy’s case, it’d be: looks like he would do something dodgy but is really the mom friend.”

He internally winced at his blabbering on. This was not smooth and she was probably wishing that he would just go away. He was preparing to do that when the unexpected happened; she laughed and looked a little charmed.

“I’m Jasper,” he said, sticking a hand out.

“Maya,” she replied. “So are you here because your friend is behind the bar?”

Relaxing a little now that she wasn’t making an excuse to leave, Jasper smiled widely at her and settled in to chat.

\------------

“Where’s Jasper?” Octavia demanded as she stormed up to the bar with some purpose. “I didn’t sign him up so he could just skulk around. He’s meant to be out meeting girls.”

“He is,” Bellamy said, pointing to the far corner of the room.

Jasper had been chatting to the cute girl for at least twenty minutes now and neither one of the appeared to have even noticed that the event started ten minutes ago and they were meant to be moving around the room making small talk with lots of other random people. Bellamy had watched with increasing amusement as they’d stood closer and closer together, engrossed in whatever they were talking about. The girl’s smile hadn’t wavered and neither had she looked over Jasper’s shoulder and around the room. It was good to finally see a girl as interested in Jasper as he was in her.

“Oh!” his little sister exclaimed. Then she grinned and said, “Get it Jasper! That is one pretty girl.”


	4. Kabby

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abby knows she's ready to date again, she just isn't sure this is the best way to go about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My first time writing so many of these pairings, but Kabby was definitely a hard one to get to grips with!

Abby played with the necklace that hung around her neck nervously. She still wasn’t quite sure why she had allowed Clarke to talk her into this. It was probably because they were still tentatively rebuilding their relationship after a tough couple of years. Jake had always been the glue in the family and without him, she and Clarke had struggled to communicate with each other effectively.

Then there was the fact that it was _Clarke_ who was suggesting that she come to this event. She was sure part of it was because she wanted Octavia to do well, but it still represented a big milestone in their relationship. Plus, if Clarke thought it was time Abby put herself back out there, then perhaps it really was time.

There was no longer the pang of guilt when she admired an attractive man from a distance and she was sure that she didn’t want to be alone for the rest of her life. Getting into another relationship didn’t mean that she had forgotten Jake or had loved him any less than she had.

“Everyone’s pretty young,” Abby remarked to her daughter as she looked around.

As expected, the majority of people attending were in their twenties or thirties.

“Octavia gets a pretty good mix of people,” Clarke replied unconcerned. “There will definitely be some older people here.”

\-------------

Abby spotted the bearded man half an hour into the event. He was sitting at a table in the corner and was clearly uncomfortable with the girl sat opposite him who was way too young to be flirting with him.

He was clearly around Abby’s age and had luxurious brown hair that was swept back and a salt and pepper beard that was slightly bushier than she usually appreciated but worked for him. He sat with an easy confidence as he dealt swiftly but obviously kindly with the young girl, who didn’t leave the table looking upset but more amused than anything.

Abby had already chatted to a couple of men in their thirties to get into the swing of this, but she hadn’t felt attraction towards any of them. This guy was different.

She hovered a little uncertainly, not sure she truly wanted to go down this route. It had been easy to lightly flirt with someone she wasn’t actually interested in, but this felt like a whole new ball game.

_Griffin women don’t shy away from anything_ , she reminded herself as she straightened her shoulders and went over.

“Hi,” she said as she slid into the chair opposite.

He looked up with a wary expression at first, which cleared as he got his first look at her.

“Oh thank God!” he exclaimed in obvious relief before putting his hand and adding, “Marcus.”

Shaking his hand briefly, she replied, “Abby.” Then her lips curled up into a small amused smile. “Having problems,” she asked.

“Three too many girls with older man fantasies. One of whom told me about them explicitly.”

She couldn’t help but let out a laugh at that. “That sounds rough.”

“It really is, especially as Octavia promised me that there would be age appropriate women here.”

“You know Octavia?” she asked.

“Since she was seven,” he said. “You know her too?”

“My daughter is dating Bellamy.”

A smile lit up his face at that. “You’re Clarke’s mom? Bellamy is hopelessly smitten. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him like this before. She’s a really good kid.”

Abby looked over her shoulder where Clarke was standing at bar, chatting to Bellamy who was serving behind.

“Yeah, she is,” she said fondly. “She’s crazy about Bellamy too.”

“That’s good to know. He hasn’t had many good things in his life.”

Her eyebrows raised at that. “Are you an old family friend?”

“I was their social worker and sometimes foster dad,” he said.

“You’re a social worker? That’s a tough line of work.”

“Yeah,” he said with a grimace. “I was a cop beforehand and I thought that was hard, but seeing some of the lives these kids lead is heart breaking.”

She smiled at that. She’d had to report suspected child abuse cases over the years and she’d met her fair share of social workers and it appeared that Marcus was one of the good ones. The ones who went into work to improve kids’ lives and apparently stayed in lives of some of his children.

“It’s nice that you are still around Bellamy and Octavia despite them no longer being minors.”

“The Blakes have a way getting under your skin. I couldn’t say goodbye to those two even if I tried,” he said with a grin. “I think Bellamy mentioned that you’re a doctor.”

“A Paediatric Surgeon,” she said.

“Another job with a calling then.”

“It doesn’t always have the friendliest hours.”

\------------

“That was a text from Clarke,” Bellamy said, shoving his face under Octavia’s nose. “Kane got Abby’s number and they’ve set up a dinner date later this week.”

“Woot!” Octavia cheered. “Go Kane!”

“Kane?” Indra said with a small frown. “Your surrogate dad? Are you using this night to match-make everyone?”

“Why waste such an opportunity,” Octavia said with a grin before adding pointedly, “ _No one_ is safe.”

Bellamy couldn’t help but snicker at the thought of Octavia setting up Indra with someone.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can find me over at [tumblr](http://rumaan.tumblr.com/) if you so wish.


	5. Minty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nathan really doesn't want to try his hand at speed dating. It's a shame neither Blake listens to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all your kind remarks on these. They have been so much fun to write.

“C’mon, Miller, one night isn’t going to kill you,” Bellamy said.

“And you’ll be supporting me. The best little sister you never had,” Octavia chimed in.

Nate rolled his eyes. He should have known something was up when both Blakes turned up on his doorstep first thing in the morning with a box of donuts and identical determined expressions on their face. He was usually good at ignoring them when they had the bit between the teeth. Growing up alongside them had usually made him immune to the Blake sibling melodrama, but it didn’t mean he didn’t know when something was a lost cause and him not attending Octavia’s speed dating night _was_ a lost cause. Didn’t mean he wasn’t going down without a fight though. He couldn’t make this too easy for them.

“You should go,” Bryan interjected, a bowl of cereal in his hand.

“You’re encouraging me to get out there and start dating,” Miller said, trying a last ditch effort to guilt trip his way out having to attend this thing.

“Newsflash, Nate, our breaking up didn’t break me. I’ve managed to find a new boyfriend while you’ve sat around in your boxers playing Call of Duty.”

Neither Blake lifted an eyebrow at Bryan’s sass. In fact, Octavia held her fist out for Bryan to bump. They were the only two of his friends who didn’t think Nate’s current living conditions weren’t weird. He and Bryan had dated for the past four years and lived together for two of those years, but six months back they’d decided to call quits on their relationship. They’d somehow morphed more into roommates than an actual couple. However, they both really liked their apartment, which had two bedrooms so it had been logical for them to continue to live together rather than separately try and find new places to live. Maybe it was strange just how amicable their break-up had been but Nate had yet to hate any of his exes and he could never hate Bryan.

Plus Bryan’s new boyfriend, Nyko, was great and didn’t bat an eyelash at Bryan continuing to live with Nate. They just tended to hook up at Nyko’s place instead.

“Clarke’s best friend Monty is going,” Bellamy said slyly.

With that knowledge, Nate knew his fate was sealed.

\-----------

“If he doesn’t turn up then I’m out of here,” Nate said, pulling uncomfortably at the shirt he was wearing.

He fucking hated events like this with a passion. All dumb people milling around trying to connect with someone.

“Good job he just walked in then,” Bellamy replied, clapping him on the shoulder.

Nate tamped down the impulse to look over his shoulder, instead taking an impassive swig of his beer.

“You know, if you play it too cool then he’ll probably go home with someone else.”

“Stop trying to coach me. If Clarke hadn’t taken matters into her own hands then you’d still be pining from afar.”

“So take it from someone who knows they’re a disaster at this and try not to follow in my footsteps.”

“Bellamy! Miller!” Clarke said cheerfully, coming up behind him and giving him the opportunity to turn around naturally.

“Hey, Clarke,” he replied as she tucked herself against Bellamy’s side.

“You remember my friend Monty, right?” she said with a complete lack of subtly.

Nate met Monty’s eyes and gave him a roll of his eyes at Clarke’s blatant meddling and a slow smile because Monty was cute and he was harbouring a ridiculous crush on him considering he’d only met him once before.

“Yeah. We crushed the pair of you at trivia night.”

Bellamy grumbled, like Nate had known he would, instantly dispelling the slight awkwardness. “That was rigged. There were far too many English and Physics questions and not enough History or Biology ones.”

“Bitterness is a good look on you.”

“Shut up, Miller!”

“So are you stuck at a table or mingling?” Nate asked, turning his attention to Monty.

“Table,” Monty replied, his mouth turned down slightly.

“I’m mingling. How about we work out a signal and I’ll come and save you from anyone hideous?”

Monty gave him a small smile at that. “That sounds good.”

\------------

“You’re doing this on purpose now, right?” Nate asked. It was the fifth time Monty had utilised the special table tap they’d worked out as their signal. “That guy was cute.”

“Yeah, not really my type,” Monty replied, giving him a significant look.

Nate tried not to get his hopes up. He thought Monty had appeared interested at the trivia night, but when he’d heard nothing more nor seen him out with Clarke again, he’d put it down to nothing more than a light flirtation. “So, what is your type?”

“I tend to prefer snarky English teachers.”

He grinned and said, “Good job I happen to be a snarky English teacher then.”

“Yep, you tick all the right boxes.”

Nate looked around the crowded room. Octavia’s speed dating nights were a well-established part of the community now and always well attended. It wouldn’t be noticeable if they left. “We could keep using the signal, or we could just go to the bar up the road and get a drink without the pressure of people interrupting to try and hit on either one of us.”

“Bar up the road sounds good,” Monty replied and as they left, he slipped his hand into Nate’s.

\----------

“Miller left with Monty,” Lincoln said, his arm twining around Octavia’s waist.

“Bell and Clarke are going to be so satisfied,” she replied, leaning up and giving him a quick kiss. “They’d hope the trivia night would be all it would take to set them up, but my event saves the day once more.”

“This event is becoming more trouble than it’s worth,” Indra grumbled, slamming a pack of water on the surface of the bar.

“Aren’t sign up for classes up 8%?”

“Yeah, but people keep treating it like it’s an extension of this night. I had to separate two people the other day. They mistook sparing for an excuse to make out.”

“Just think of the profits, Indra, and how much damage you’re doing to Pike’s boxing gym.”

A rare grin flitted across Indra’s face at that.


	6. Memori

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John isn't sure what he's doing here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so glad Emori made it out of the COL alive, she's such a great character.

“What’s he doing here?” Bellamy asked grimacing. “I thought we’d gotten rid of him for good.”

“Play nice,” Clarke said, smacking his shoulder lightly and giving him a look. “I bumped into him the other day and told him about this event.”

“ _Why?_ ”

She shrugged. “He looked kind of lost and I feel bad for the way things were left with him.”

“If he burns this event down then you’re the one who’ll have to explain it to O.”

Clarke rolled her eyes. “Give him a chance.”

John walked further away so he definitely couldn’t hear what Bellamy and Clarke were talking about and took a long swig of his beer. He should have known better than to come back to this particular neighbourhood. Maybe it had been some kind of misplaced nostalgia. An idea that somehow he could rekindle something here, but as usual Bellamy Blake had been around to remind him that he couldn’t.

Octavia Blake, looking fiercer than he remembered, activated her microphone and called those who were number between 1-20 to go and sit at their designated tables. John was lucky number 13 and with a shrug he decided to see this night through. He hadn’t come here to actively find a date, more to reconnect and see if anything was different. Apparently it wasn’t, but if he was anything then it was contrary and he wasn’t going to give Bellamy the satisfaction of leaving right away.

\----------

“God,” he muttered to himself as the aggressive brunette finally had to depart at the sound of Octavia ringing her bell.

It was just his luck that the only person apparently interested in him tonight was a few screws loose and scary to boot.

“Was she as ferocious as she looked?” an interested voice asked.

John raised his head from where he was tracing an invisible pattern on the table. An attractive girl with warm olive skin and a breath taking smile sat opposite him. Amusement twinkled in her eyes.

“Worse,” he replied. “I thought she was going to have to her wicked way with me right here.”

She let out a laugh and teased, “Well, that sounds horrible. An attractive women making moves on you.”

He bit his lip a little indecisively. He’d never had much luck with women in the past. One girl claimed that he looked too creepy and he knew he didn’t have the best attitude in the world. However, he’d never really cared before, but there was something about this girl that had him immediately invested.

“Her moves weren’t the ones I was interested in,” he said suggestively.

The girl narrowed her eyes slightly, giving her an unpredictable air that did nothing to tamper his interest. He’d always lived his life slightly on the edge and it would be ridiculous to think that would change now.

“And who here _does_ appeal to you…” she trailed off.

“John Murphy,” he said with an enquiring lift of his eyebrows.

“Emori,” she replied and defiantly stuck out a deformed hand.

He didn’t even blink, knowing that she wanted him to react someway. Instead, he wrapped his fingers around her much too large hand and shook it. “Nice to meet you.”

Her radiant smile returned and drew a reluctant half smile response from him.

“This scares most people off,” she said.

“Yeah, well, I think it makes you look badass.”

She grinned at him from across the table as Octavia rang her bell again and the tables around them became a hive of bustling activity. However, Emori stayed right where she was.

“Aren’t you going to get up?”

“Nope. The rules were made for breaking, right?”

He smiled again. Somehow coming to this event had paid off in ways he didn’t fully understand, but he wasn’t going to question them or Emori; she was perfect.

\------------

“Is that Murphy walking out with a pretty girl in a green peacoat?” Bellamy asked, squinting his eyes in disbelief.

Clarke whirled around from where she’d been watching Wells drag more and more laughs out of Anya in time to see Murphy leave hand in hand with said girl. “Er…yeah!”

“Is O actually magic? How does she keep managing to set up the most unlikely of people?”

“I think she must be.”

“Even Murphy!” Bellamy muttered, shaking his head slightly.

 


	7. Ice Mechanic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raven only goes because Sinclair wants her to

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the Ice Mechanic chapter that a couple of you have been waiting for!

“For the last time, Clarke, No! I’m not going to this stupid event with you,” Raven snapped irritably.

“What event?” Sinclair asked coming down into the basement, a tray of drinks for the three of them in his hands.

Raven shot Clarke a warning glance. There was no way her practically adoptive dad needed to hear anything about the speed dating night that Clarke’s friends hosted. She had no interest in going but if Sinclair heard about it then he would badger her to get out of the workshop and back into social events. He didn’t even bother to hide how worried he was about her. He never shied away from being open about how much he cared about her, which Raven struggled to cope with at times. She’d been hurt one too many times, but Sinclair made it easy. He fussed over her but never hovered and never made her feel as if her disability made her a lesser person. In fact, he was always so proud whenever Raven thought her way out of a problem quicker than he did. It felt good to have someone with this much faith in her around. She had begun to believe in herself once more, which after her mom, Finn and the way things had ended with Wick was much needed.

“Octavia Blake hosts a speed dating event over the Trikru Martial Arts Centre every couple of weeks. I’ve been nagging Raven to come to one of the nights for ages,” Clarke said.

_Traitor_ , Raven thought. She didn’t need to look so smug about tattling on her to Sinclair either.

“That sounds fun,” Sinclair said. “You’ve been spending so much time down here, Raven, I really think you should take a night off and go out with your friends.”

“I wouldn’t be with my friends,” Raven complained. “I’d be around a bunch of desperate losers trying to find love.”

“Thanks,” Clarke said drily.

Raven rolled her eyes and waved a dismissive hand towards Clarke. “You and Bellamy don’t count. It was only a matter of time before the pair of you realised that you were mutually pining from afar. Besides you’ve been together for what seven months now?”

“I think you should go,” Sinclair said, sipping from his Iced Tea and ignoring anything Raven had said in response.

Her shoulders slumped at that. If it was anyone else but Sinclair she would get stubborn and continue to refuse, but Sinclair never asked her for anything. He was just always supportive of her and she didn’t want to let him down. She would disappoint herself more than him.

Groaning, she shrugged and gave Clarke an unimpressed ‘I know why you did that’ look, but sighed and said, “Fine. I’ll go. Don’t expect me to be pleasant though.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Clarke said with a small but pleased smile.

\---------------

Two days later and Raven was swearing under her breath as she took in the crowd of smiling, eager-to-please people mingling around before the event started ‘officially’. There had been more than a few speculative glances her way which she had responded to with scowls. Worse than that, there had also been the winces and eyes sliding away from her as people realised she was limping and took in the metal brace around her knee. She scowled at those people even harder. She hated it when people made her feel that she was nothing more than her disability.

“You look pleased to be here,” a gravelly voice said from just behind her.

She whirled around a little too quickly and had to grab onto the bar to keep her balance. That made her frown even more ferocious. The lips of the man in front of her twitched up at her expression.

He was only a couple of inches taller than her but with the kind of presence that dwarfed everyone around him. His hair was long and piercing blue eyes stood out of a tanned face. His nicely fitted expensive jeans and sexy stubble screamed trust-fund baby, which would usually turn her off, but on him it worked. He was gorgeous and he knew it.

“And _you_ look out of place,” she sniped back. “Did you lose your way and end up here accidentally?”

“Feisty,” he said with an amused smirk that had her rolling her eyes, but before she could annihilate him, Octavia’s voice drifted over the speakers.

Looking down at the number she’d been handed at registration, Raven groaned as she realised that she was going to be tied to a table. She bet Clarke had rigged it so she would be forced to socialise at this damn event.

“Well as fun as this has been, I’m headed over there,” she said grumpily.

The stranger’s eyes tracked down her hotly before he raised his beer bottle and said, “Maybe I’ll come over and say hello.”

Raven narrowed her eyes at him before turning around without a response. She could feel him watching as she made her way clumsily through the tightly packed tables and she swore under her breath as she stumbled a little trying to execute a tight turn.

“Stupid damn brace,” she muttered under her breath, but she couldn’t help out peak over in the stranger’s direction as she slid into her seat, expecting to see pity on his face. She was not prepared for the look of naked desire before he winked at her. An uncommon flush rose up her neck and she was still caught in his gaze when someone slid in the seat opposite her.

“Hey, I’m Brad.”

Raven reluctantly turned away from the stranger and began the exhausting process of making small talk with people she had no interest in.

\------------

It took just over an hour for the stranger to stroll nonchalantly towards her. She wanted to hold it against him but he was the only person here who she wanted to even remotely talk to.

“Roan,” he said, stretching his and across the table.

Putting her hand in his, she replied, “Raven.”

His thumb stroked softly over the palm of her hand as he shook it gently. Suppressing a shiver down her spine, she asked, “So what are you doing in a place like this? It doesn’t seem like your kind of scene?”

“I just moved down from up North and I’ve been looking for somewhere to train. Lincoln suggested I come tonight and make some friends. I didn’t plan on staying but then you walked in.”

Raven had noticed that Roan had interacted with no one else. He stood quietly in the shadows and just watched the commotion around him, catching eyes with her every now and again.

“And I was sufficient inducement for you to stay?”

“You’re a beautiful lady, Raven, you know that.”

Disappointment lanced through her at his reply. She knew she was hot, but she’d wanted this guy to notice more about her than that.

“But it was the way you looked around you with such annoyance that had me staying.”

Her mood instantly perked up and she looked up at him from under her lashes and said, “Fancy getting out of here and telling me more about how attractive my bad mood is?”

He smirked across at her. “Need you ask?”

\----------

“Raven!” Clarke yelled as the front door slammed.

Moaning at the interruption of her sleep, Raven raised her head from the pillow and only noticed the heavy weight of the arm around her as it stopped her from getting any further up.

“Don’t go,” Roan muttered sleepily into her hair.

“My friend’s here,” she hissed.

“Tell her to come back later,” he replied, tugging her closer to him.

“Where the hell did you disappear to…Oh!” Clarke said barging her way into Raven’s room and then stopping still at the sight of her friend entangled in the arms of an attractive stranger. “I’ll…I’ll come back later.”

Raven turned and stifled her laughter in Roan’s chest as Clarke beat a hasty retreat.

“Now, where were we?” Roan murmured, tipping her head up and kissing her deeply.

 


	8. Harpoe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harper wants a change maybe speed dating could help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all your lovely comments on this fic. It's been so much fun to write all these different pairings so I'm really glad that you've had fun reading too!

“How about that guy?” Monty asked, pointing out a dangerous looking man with shoulder length hair and seemingly permanent smirk.

Harper tilted her head on the side and considered him for a moment. He could be what she was looking for. Someone to shake her up her life a little. It wasn’t that there was anything wrong with her life necessarily, just that she was beginning to feel as if she was stuck in a rut. She enjoyed her job as a nurse and loved her group of friends. Monty remained incredibly important to her despite their break-up, but sometimes she felt as if she was missing something.

So when Monty had suggested she come along to Octavia’s speed dating night, she’d shrugged her shoulders and decided to give it a go. It wasn’t something that would normally interest her, but so many of her friends seemed to have found love at this event that there was no harm in signing up for the evening. If she didn’t like it then she could easily go home.

Octavia had not been impressed that it was _Monty_ who had convinced her to come despite being Harper’s best friend from childhood, but she’d given her a hug on the door.

“Oh! Never mind, I think that’s Raven’s new guy,” Monty said, as they watched their friend go over and punch the hot stranger in the arm.

Harper watched with a smile as the guy placed his arm around Raven’s shoulders and kiss her on the top of her head. It was good to see Raven smiling once more. She’d been through so much in the past year.

“Oooh. I see the perfect person,” Monty said. “What about that girl over there with the braids?”

Following his finger, Harper looked across the room and saw a girl about their age with three intricate plaits in her hair that made her look fierce. She was chatting to Bellamy with a familiar ease and Harper felt a flicker of interest.

She continued to watch her as they waited for the night to start. Then Octavia called for everyone numbered 1-17 to take their seats. Harper was pleased to see the hot girl sit down and made her way in that direction.

“Hi,” she said as she sat down in front of her. “I’m Harper.”

“Zoe,” the girl replied with an appreciative look.

“You’re friends with Bellamy?” Harper asked out of a loss of just how to initiate conversation in such a setting.

“Yeah, he was my TA in college and he helped me get my new job at the museum.”

“Cool. So you just moved here?”

“Yep and I have no friends to show for it. Bellamy suggested I come here and meet some of his friends,” Zoe said before she gave her a little flirty smile and added, “You’re friends with him, too?”

“More his sister. We grew up together.”

“Nice. So, if Bellamy invites me to more stuff then I can expect to see you around?” Zoe asked with blatant interest.

Harper couldn’t help but grin at that. It had been a while since someone was so obviously interested in her. And, yeah, that was the aim of the night, but it hadn’t really been Harper’s aim. She was usually someone who worked a little slower, usually becoming friends and then getting into a relationship with someone. That was how it had worked with Monty.

Deciding to embrace Zoe’s bold approach, Harper passed her phone across the table. “How about you give me your number instead and that way we don’t have to wait for Bellamy to organise anything.”

\-----------

Four nights later, Bellamy and Clarke rounded everyone up for trivia night at their local bar.

Harper and Zoe arrived together and holding hands which caused raised eyebrows all around.

“Here I was prepared to introduce you to everyone,” Bellamy commented to Zoe with a fond smile. “I should have known that you wouldn’t need any help with that.”

Octavia held her hand out for Harper to high five and crowed, “My dating night strikes again.”

Harper grinned and nuzzled her face into Zoe’s hair.


	9. Pindra

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charles Pike is a whole new level of irritating.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not even sorry for including this! #pindralives

“So this is how you fund your centre?” a horribly familiar scornful voice said from behind Indra.

A scowl already in place, Indra turned to face down Charles Pike. “What are _you_ doing here? Who even let you in?”

“Bellamy was on the door. He didn’t think you’d have a problem taking my money.”

_Of course it would be Bellamy_ , Indra thought angrily. He exercised at Pike’s boxing gym and had a friendly relationship with the belligerent former boxer, despite Octavia’s disgust of it. Indra only tolerated Bellamy because the Blake siblings came as a team and he did earn the martial arts centre good money behind the bar. She didn’t particularly like him though – his friendship with Pike being the prime reason why.

“Are you looking for a date tonight?” she asked, eyebrows raised in surprise.

He laughed at that. “Oh no! I came to see what all the fuss was about. Doesn’t surprise me that you’ve resorted to this kind of gimmick.”

She bristled at his tone but refused to give him the rise that he sought. Ever since he had moved into the neighbourhood three years ago, he had engaged in a less than friendly rivalry with Trikru Martial Arts Centre. Apparently, it spanned back to problems he’d face with the Azgeda martial arts team, which she could believe, but she wasn’t interested in some stupid boxing versus martial arts mentality. Everyone knew which the more popular centre was and it wasn’t Pike’s boxing gym.

It hadn’t stopped Pike from needling her every opportunity he got.

“Maybe you could learn a thing or two,” she said evenly instead and mentally smiled at the flash of disappointment on his face.

“Going to show me around then?”

Indra sighed but she realised this was probably going to be the quickest way to get rid of him. Let him get his sneering over quickly and then she could get on with her evening.

“Sure.”

\---------------

By the time the event was halfway through, Pike was still trailing around after her. She had hoped he’d have left by now but his scorn had given way to some kind of begrudging respect at just how much money this event brought into the centre. If she wasn’t aware of just how much he generally underestimated her, she would have been surprised. Why else did he think she tolerated this night?

“So after only six months of hosting this and you managed to completely refurbish Studio A?” he asked with dawning respect. “It’s been going how long now? Nine months?”

“Yep,” she said popping the p with pleasure. “Want to see how much better my centre is to your gym now?”

“Lead the way.”

Indra couldn’t help the smug expression as Pike looked around the state of the art Studio A in awe. She knew just how great her biggest room now looked and attendance rates in the classes that took place in here were up 20 percent. Another couple of months and she could start refurbishing Studio B. All from a stupid dating event that she was sure Octavia had dreamt up purely to meddle in her brother’s life.

Maybe Bellamy wasn’t so bad after all.

“Impressive, huh?”

Pike shrugged. “It’s not bad. Still not as good as a proper boxing gym.”

“Keep telling yourself that,” she said with a snort.

“Want to put it to the test?” he asked with a gleam in his eye.

Indra could never resist a challenge – certainly not from someone as so cocksure of his superior skills as Charles Pike.

“Right here, right now,” she replied.

He ran his eyes down her, taking in her smart casual clothes. “You sure you’re dressed for this?”

“What’s wrong? Worried you’ll lose?”

“Pfft,” he said.

They toed their shoes off and moved over to the padded mat area. She’d never actually seen Pike fight, but knew he’d had a fairly decent boxing career. However, she wasn’t prepared for the speed in which he darted forward, jabbing out with a fist. She ducked out of the way quickly, sweeping her foot out as she moved. He stumbled forward a little but recovered impressively.

They sparred together surprisingly well. Neither quite good enough to get the upper hand straight away. Nonetheless, she was able to catalogue his style. He was aggressive and fast but relied too heavily on offense. She began to use that to her advantage, luring him into attack after attack until she suddenly struck, flipping him over and straddling him with his hands locked at his side.

“Not bad for a boxer,” she said.

She could feel him panting slightly as they both caught their breaths. “You have more skill than I bargained for,” he admitted.

“I’m not sure that is hard. You’ve never shied away from informing me that I’m wasting my time with martial arts.”

He looked a little shame faced at that. “I guess you showed me.”

Their eyes locked and the silence between them extended. He looked more attractive with a sheen of sweat on his forehead and his eyes shining from the challenge. Dropping her head down to his, she pressed her mouth a little questioningly against his. He lips softened under hers inviting her to continue. She released her grip on his hands, running her fingers up his chest as she leaned in closer to deepen the kiss. He surged up into a sitting position, an arm snaking around her waist to pull her closer against him, whilst the other cupped her jaw.

A noise at the door had her pulling her mouth away from his.

“There should be some more chairs in he-” Octavia trailed off, her eyes bulging at she took in the scene before her before she exclaimed in horror, “Indra!”

“It’s not what it lo-” she started to say before Bellamy interrupted.

“Not what it looks like?” he asked in amusement before adding. “Pretty sure the state of your clothes and the smeared lipstick give that away for the lie it is.”

Indra glared at the oldest Blake but couldn’t resist sneaking a glance at Octavia, who continued to stare with her mouth open.

Bellamy put a hand on his sister’s shoulder. “Come on, O, I think we should give them a little privacy.”

He had the audacity to smirk at her as he steered Octavia out of the studio.

She groaned, her head falling to rest on Pike’s shoulder which was shaking with suppressed laughter.

“It’s not that bad, Indra,” he said, pressing a kiss onto the top of her head. “I think Bellamy invited me here for this reason.”

“He invited you?”

“Well, less an invitation and more an intriguing mention of this evening. He knew I wouldn’t be able to resist coming.”

She lifted her head up and stared at him with horrified fascination. “Are you implying that you’ve had some kind of crush on me and Bellamy knew?”

His cheeks turned ombre in embarrassment and he nodded a little sheepishly.

“You can at least buy me dinner,” she said, crawling off his lap and straightening her top.

“Really?” he asked, clearly shocked.

“You’ve got some decent offensive moves,” she replied. “You need to work on being less aggressive but I think I can help you on that.”

He scrambled up and gave her a boyish grin. “You’re on!”

 


	10. Linctavia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the first anniversary of hosting her first speeding dating night, Octavia revels in her triumphs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some happy Linctavia to round this fic off because they deserved that happy ending.

Octavia looked around the packed room with a grin. For the first anniversary of starting her speed dating night, she’d decided to do a special event for those couples who had met at her event. It was packed which helped her feel incredibly smug, but the thing that had her happiest was just how many of her friends had met someone over the past year.

“Feeling pleased with yourself?” Lincoln asked, snaking his arms around her waist and pulling her back against his chest.

“Yep,” she said popping the p perkily.

“You did good.”

“I did, didn’t I?”

“Uh huh,” Lincoln said, kissing the top of her head and then resting his chin on it. “Look at just how many people found each other because you badgered Indra into hosting this night.”

Indra was there, of course, with the incongruous sight of Pike’s arm around her shoulders. They still bickered constantly about whether boxing or martial arts was the better discipline, but they had both started working together. Indra would take on some of Pike’s boxers and help them increased their flexibility, and make them faster and more unpredictable in the ring. Then Pike would bring some of Indra’s kids over and help improve their stamina. It was a system that worked really well and had already yielded results in amateur leagues.

“Including some of the unlikeliest people,” Octavia said, with a significant nod to where Wells and Anya were slow dancing to a cheesy ballad.

Lincoln snorted in laughter. “I just wish Anya would be a little softer with people other than Wells,” he said, rubbing his arm where he sported an impressive bruise from his last exhibition match with the ferocious fighter.

Dancing across her view of Wells and Anya was Jasper with his girlfriend, Maya. Octavia grinned at the sight. It was good to see Jasper in a relationship, to see how centred and balanced Maya kept him and to see his self-worth grow in response. Plus Maya was the sweetest person, and aside from Lincoln, definitely had the strongest morals of their group. She had also struck up an unlikely friendship with Bellamy.

A bark of laughter had her looking across the room to where Murphy was smiling hard at Emori. He looked more relaxed than she had ever seen him and, for once, wasn’t projecting an ‘I don’t care’ attitude. It was obvious that he did care and a lot.  She still struggled to get over _Murphy_ of all people being in a long term relationship and also being the moral, responsible one on top of that.

However, she was thrilled to see Miller so happy. She had worried that he might not find someone as good as Bryan again. He was like Bellamy in the sense that you had dig through the grump and snarky layers to get to the heart of gold that beat in his chest. But if anyone was able to do that then it would be Monty. They were the sassiest couple she’d ever met – and yes, that included Raven and Roan, who Octavia was sure existed purely to wind Bell up.

There didn’t seem to be a soft bone in Roan’s body, but then you only had to see him with Raven to see that for the lie it was. He might not understand just what Raven was working on most of the time (like the rest of them), but he would stand back and grin as she dominated the floor and wowed everyone with her brain.

“By the way, how do the plans for your first wedding go?”

“It’s not _my_ wedding,” she said emphatically tilting her head up so she could see Lincoln, who just gave her an unimpressed look.

“Okay, so I feel as if it 30% my wedding.”

He poked her in the side, causing her to squirm and giggle. “Alright, I admit it. I feel as if it’s at least 60% my doing. 20% Clarke’s and then maybe 20% their doing.”

Lowering her head once she looked across the room where Kane and Abby Griffin stood chatting with Harper and Zoe. Happiness radiated off her social worker/surrogate dad and she couldn’t help but be proud that it was her event that caused that to happen. Abby was hard to get to know. A little withdrawn like Clarke, but she undeniably loved Kane and he adored her with all his heart.

Then there was Harper looking happier as she snuggled into Zoe’s side than she had seen her for a long while. Warmth spread through Octavia at the thought of how two such important people in her life were now in love.

“So, what match has made you the happiest?” Lincoln asked.

“Need you ask?” Octavia looked over to where her brother continued to man the bar, determined to look after everyone as usual. Clarke sat on a stool in front of him, holding his hand when he wasn’t busy and making him laugh. “Bell’s never had someone who gets him the way Clarke does. He’s happy for the first time and that’s all I ever wanted for him.”

Turning around to snuggle into Lincoln’s arms properly, Octavia kissed his collarbone and said, “He deserves to be as happy as I am.”

Lincoln tugged on one of her small braids causing her to tilt her head so he could lean down and kiss her. “Hmm…is it possible to be as happy as we are?”

“It’s hard to imagine,” she said. “But I think they are.”

That was all Octavia wanted. For her friends – and especially her brother – to find the same all-encompassing happiness that she had. That she was the reason for it was the icing on the cake.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me over at [tumblr](http://rumaan.tumblr.com/) if you so wish.


End file.
